In the swing of spring

Another AMNH walk today, this time with migrating birds!  It was a great walk with quite a bit of variety.

There were several warblers right at the start of the walk, including this redstart.

American redstart

 At the upper lobe it was pretty quiet, but we did see this blue jay sitting in the nest we saw last week.  Maybe we will see chicks soon!

blue jay

 Heading towards tupelo meadow we saw this Blackburnian!  It was so high up there, the pictures are not great, but what a treat to see.

Blackburnian warbler

Blackburnian warbler

 This white-crowned sparrow and white-throated sparrow were very obliging, posing for pictures that show their differences easily.  Thanks guys!

white-crowned sparrow and white-throated sparrow

Even though it was mostly about migrants today, I never get tired of woodpeckers.  This guy wanted some attention!

downy woodpecker

 I still have no good pictures of a parula, in spite of many opportunities.  Do they have some sort of anti-autofocus device?  This one is fuzzy but at least you can tell it's a gorgeous parula.

northern parula

 Only one brief black-and-white today, I wonder if they are mostly gone already.

black-and-white warbler

 Blackpoll!

blackpoll warbler

I remember seeing several types of thrush, but I don't know which kind this one is.  Last year I startd to be able to tell them apart much more easily, but I've apparently lost the knack.

mystery thrush

This Wilson's warbler was bathing at the little stream on the point, making quite a show of his post-bath preening.

Wilson's warbler

I had to work so hard for this picture!  This little guy was positively maddening!  

common yellowthroat

I didn't have to work for this one at all, just had to wait while the ovenbird crossed the path in no particular hurry.  

ovenbird

There were a few maggies, none really posing, all being gorgeous.

magnolia warbler

I don't much car for grackles (it's their song that really turns me off) but even I have to admit that this one is spectacular.

grackle

Another woodpecker!  I love how unimpressed with people they are in the park.

red-bellied woodpecker

As I was leaving, the egret made a beautiful walk across the top of the upper lobe.

great egret

And this oriole zoomed through and zipped about briefly.  

Baltimore oriole